Audio, video and control system implementing virtual machines

ABSTRACT

The system of the present technology includes an embodiment that provides a host audio, video and control operating system configured to establish or interact with one or more virtual machines, each with a guest operating system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/231,157, titled Audio, Video and Control System Implementing VirtualMachines, filed Dec. 21, 2018, which claims the benefit of and priorityto U.S. provisional patent application 62/617,713, titled Audio, Videoand Control System Implementing Virtual Machines, filed Jan. 16, 2018,both of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is directed to audio, video and control systems.

BACKGROUND

Conventional audio, video, and control (AVC) systems are typicallyconfigured to interconnect, operate and manage audio systems, videosystems and/or control systems for an identified location, such as inconference rooms, meeting centers, convention centers, classrooms,entertainment centers, multi-room buildings, other structures, etc. Anexample of a highly powerful, versatile, and configurable AVC system isthe Q-Sys® product, manufactured and provided by QSC, LLC, of CostaMesa, Calif. AVC systems are often used to perform AVC processing forapplications executed by another local conventional computer system,such as a computing system running a Windows®-based operating system.For example, an AVC system may be paired with a conventional computersystem in a conference room or lecture hall. This type of pairing allowsthe AVC system to provide AVC processing that may be incompatible withconventional computer systems.

To allow the AVC system to communicate with the Windows®-based operatingsystem for the AVC processing, the systems can be interconnected, suchas with a USB connection between the two physical computer systems.Integration of the two systems, however, can be difficult, timeconsuming and operationally limited. For example, Q-Sys® is asoftware-based platform that uniquely leverages the power of Intelprocessing, the robustness and mission critical reliability of a Linuxoperating system, and the interoperability of IEEE networking standardsand provides an IT-centric layered approach that allows the operator toeasily migrate the Q-SYS Platform to other Intel platforms, such as new,faster chipsets, and to other off-the-shelf hardware. Furthermore,Q-Sys's usage of IT standard protocols makes the Q-SYS platform highlyextensible for future IT functions and platforms. The powerful Q-Sys®AVC system can be hardwire connected to communicate with separatecomputer systems running a Windows®-based operating system, but suchconfigurations between systems can be difficult to integrate to avoidcross-system conflicts, which may result in slower performance andlimited cross-system performance, while also requiring two physicallyinterconnected structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of devices on whichsome implementations of the present technology can operate.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of an environment inwhich some implementations can operate.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating components which, in someimplementations, can be used in an AVC system, employing the disclosedtechnology.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a process used in someimplementations for a host AVC operating system (OS) to establish andinteract with a virtual machine with a guest OS.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process used in someimplementations for a guest OS, executing under a virtual machine, tointeract with a host AVC OS.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example environment withtwo-way interactions between a host AVC OS and a guest OS operating on avirtual machine.

The techniques introduced here may be better understood by referring tothe following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference numerals indicate identical orfunctionally similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present technology provide a host audio, video andcontrol (AVC) operating system configured to establish or interact withone or more virtual machines, each with a guest operating system. In oneembodiment, the AVC system comprises an AVC operating system based on afirst operating system platform and being configured to run a guestoperating system on a virtual machine, wherein the guest operatingsystem is based on a second operating system platform different than thefirst operating system platform, so as to overcome drawbacks of theprior art and to provide additional benefits. In at least oneembodiment, the AVC operating system is a real-time host operatingsystem configured for audio, video and/or control processing, as well asto exchange real-time AVC streams between the AVC operating system andthe guest operating system in a manner such that an application runningin the guest operating system is unaware that it is not communicatingdirectly with audio and/or video peripheral hardware connected to theAVC operating system.

The AVC system is a system configured to manage and controlfunctionality of audio features, video features, and control features.For example, an AVC system can be configured for use with networkedmicrophones, cameras, amplifiers, and/or controllers. The AVC system canalso include a plurality of related features, such as acoustic echocancellation, multi-media player and streamer functionality, usercontrol interfaces, scheduling, third-party control, voice-over-IP(VoIP) and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) functionality, scriptingplatform functionality, audio and video bridging, public addressfunctionality, other audio and/or video output functionality, etc. Oneexample of an AVC system is included in the Q-Sys technology from QSC,LLC.

In the present disclosure, an operating system (OS) can be systemsoftware that manages computer hardware and software resources andprovides common services for computer programs. The operating systemscan be configured to schedule tasks for efficient use of the system andmay also include accounting software for cost allocation of processortime, mass storage, printing, and other resources. The operating systemcan also act as an intermediary between programs and the computerhardware for controlling hardware functions such as input and output andmemory allocation.

Several implementations are discussed below in more detail in referenceto the figures. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overview ofdevices on which some implementations of the disclosed technology canoperate. The devices can comprise hardware components of a device 100with a host AVC OS 162 that establishes and interacts with one or morevirtual machines 164, that each have a guest OS. Device 100 can includeone or more input devices 120 that provide input to the CPU(s)(processor) 110, notifying it of actions. The actions can be mediated bya hardware controller that interprets the signals received from theinput device and communicates the information to the CPU 110 using acommunication protocol. Input devices 120 include, for example, a mouse,a keyboard, a touchscreen, an infrared sensor, a touchpad, a wearableinput device, a camera- or image-based input device, a microphone, orother user input devices. A virtual machine can be one or more computerapplications used to create a virtual environment that allows a user torun multiple operating systems on one computer at the same time.

CPU 110 can be a single processing unit or multiple processing units ina device or distributed across multiple devices. CPU 110 can be coupledto other hardware devices, for example, with the use of a bus, such as aPCI bus or SCSI bus. The CPU 110 can communicate with a hardwarecontroller for devices, such as for a display 130. Display 130 can beused to display text and graphics. In some implementations, display 130provides graphical and textual visual feedback to a user. In someimplementations, display 130 includes the input device as part of thedisplay, such as when the input device is a touchscreen or is equippedwith an eye direction monitoring system. In some implementations, thedisplay is separate from the input device. Examples of display devicesare: an LCD display screen, an LED display screen, a projected,holographic, or augmented reality display (such as a heads-up displaydevice or a head-mounted device), and so on. Other I/O devices 140 canalso be coupled to the processor, such as a network card, video card,audio card, USB, firewire or other external device, camera, printer,speakers, CD-ROM drive, DVD drive, disk drive, or Blu-Ray device.

In some implementations, the device 100 also includes a communicationdevice capable of communicating wirelessly or wire-based with a networknode. The communication device can communicate with another device or aserver through a network using, for example, TCP/IP protocols, a Q-LANprotocol, or others. Device 100 can utilize the communication device todistribute operations across multiple network devices.

The CPU 110 can have access to a memory 150 in a device or distributedacross multiple devices. A memory includes one or more of varioushardware devices for volatile and non-volatile storage, and can includeboth read-only and writable memory. For example, a memory can compriserandom access memory (RAM), various caches, CPU registers, read-onlymemory (ROM), and writable non-volatile memory, such as flash memory,hard drives, floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, magnetic storage devices, tapedrives, and so forth. A memory is not a propagating signal divorced fromunderlying hardware; a memory is thus non-transitory. Memory 150 caninclude program memory 160 that stores programs and software, such as anAVC operating system 162, virtual machine with guest operating system164, and other application programs 166. Memory 150 can also includedata memory 170 that can include data to be operated on by applications,configuration data, settings, options or preferences, etc., which can beprovided to the program memory 160 or any element of the device 100.

Some implementations can be operational with numerous other computingsystem environments or configurations. Examples of computing systems,environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use withthe technology include, but are not limited to, personal computers, AVI/O systems, networked AV peripherals, video conference consoles, servercomputers, handheld or laptop devices, cellular telephones, wearableelectronics, gaming consoles, tablet devices, multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumerelectronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers,distributed computing environments that include any of the above systemsor devices, or the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of an environment 200in which some implementations of the disclosed technology can operate.Environment 200 can include one or more client computing devices 205A-H,examples of which can include device 100. In the illustrated embodiment,device 205A is a wireless smart phone or tablet, device 205B is adesk-top computer, device 205C is a computer system, device 205D is awireless laptop, device 205E is an audio system, device 206F is a videosystem, device 205G is a microphone system, and device 205H is anetworked camera system. These are only examples of some of the devices,and other embodiments can include other computing devices. For example,device 205C can be an AV Core system with a real-time operating system(RTOS) that provides various audio and video processing and connectivityfor and between peripheral devices (whether local or networked). Theseprocessing and connectivity features can be provided by the host AVC OSof device 205C while concurrently supporting one or more virtualmachines. Audio and video processing can include gain and leveladjustments, echo reduction or cancellation, mixing, encoding/decoding,resolution adjustments, cropping, delay control, VoIP/SIP interfacecontrol, input control, etc. Client computing devices 205 can operate ina networked environment using logical connections 210 through network230 to one or more remote computers, such as a server computing device.In some implementations, additional un-shown audio and video processingand routing components can be included in environment 200, such as: AVequipment locally connected to devices 205 or I/O cards that providenetworked points of connection for AV equipment, switches operating on a( ) LAN protocol, etc.

In some implementations, server 210 can be an edge server which receivesclient requests and coordinates fulfillment of those requests throughother servers, such as servers 220A-C. Server computing devices 210 and220 can comprise computing systems, such as device 100. Though eachserver computing device 210 and 220 is displayed logically as a singleserver, server computing devices can each be a distributed computingenvironment encompassing multiple computing devices located at the sameor at geographically disparate physical locations. In someimplementations, each server 220 corresponds to a group of servers.

Client computing devices 205 and server computing devices 210 and 220can each act as a server or client to other server/client devices.Server 210 can connect to a database 215. Servers 220A-C can eachconnect to a corresponding database 225A-C. As discussed above, eachserver 220 can correspond to a group of servers, and each of theseservers can share a database or can have their own database. Databases215 and 225 can warehouse (e.g. store) information. Though databases 215and 225 are displayed logically as single units, databases 215 and 225can each be a distributed computing environment encompassing multiplecomputing devices, can be located within their corresponding server, orcan be located at the same or at geographically disparate physicallocations.

Network 230 can be a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network(WAN), but can also be other wired or wireless networks. In someimplementations, portions of network 230 can be a LAN or WANimplementing a Q-LAN protocol—an audio over IP networking technology ofthe Q-Sys audio signal processing platform from QSC, LLC (see,www.qsc.com). Portions of network 230 may be the Internet or some otherpublic or private network. Client computing devices 205 can be connectedto network 230 through a network interface, such as by wired or wirelesscommunication. While the connections between server 210 and servers 220are shown as separate connections, these connections can be any kind oflocal, wide area, wired, or wireless network, including network 230 or aseparate public or private network.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating components 300 which, in someimplementations, can be used in a system employing the disclosedtechnology. The components 300 include hardware 302, general software320, and specialized components 340. As discussed above, a systemimplementing the disclosed technology can use various hardware includingprocessing units 304 (e.g. CPUs, GPUs, APUs, etc.), working memory 306,storage memory 308 (local storage or as an interface to remote storage,such as storage 215 or 225), and input and output devices 310. Invarious implementations, storage memory 308 can be one or more of: localdevices, interfaces to remote storage devices, or combinations thereof.For example, storage memory 308 can be a set of one or more hard drives(e.g. a redundant array of independent disks (RAID)) accessible througha system bus or can be a cloud storage provider or other network storageaccessible via one or more communications networks (e.g. a networkaccessible storage (NAS) device, such as storage 215 or storage providedthrough another server 220). Components 300 can be implemented in aclient computing device such as client computing devices 205 or on aserver computing device, such as server computing device 210 or 220.

General software 320 can include various applications including an AVCoperating system 322, local programs 324, and a basic input outputsystem (BIOS) 326. In some implementations, specialized components 340can be subcomponents of one or more of the general software applications320, such as AVC OS 322. Specialized components 340 can include VMmanager 344, virtual hardware connections 346, AVC signal router 348,and components which can be used for providing user interfaces,transferring data, and controlling the specialized components, such asinterface 342. In some implementations, components 300 can be in acomputing system that is distributed across multiple computing devicesor can be an interface to a server-based application executing one ormore of specialized components 340.

VM manager 344 can manage one or more virtual machines such as virtualmachine 349, in a computing system with a host AVC OS 322. VM manager344 can create virtual machines, install guest operating systems, suchas guest OS 350, into them, and establish virtual hardware connections346 between the virtual machines and the host AVC OS 322.

Virtual hardware connections 346 can be one or more virtual objectsmanaged by the host AVC OS 322 that provide a data path for AVC signalsto be passed by the host AVC OS 322 to the guest OS 350 operated undervirtual machine 349. Virtual hardware connections 346 can appear aslocally connected hardware peripherals to the guest OS 350. In someimplementations, one or more of the virtual hardware connections 346 canbe virtual USB connections or virtual ethernet connections.

AVC signal router 348 can receive AVC signals, e.g. from a local ornetwork connected peripheral device, provide them to the AVC OS 322 forprocessing, and then route them across the virtual hardware connections346 to guest OS 350 operating on virtual machine 349. In someimplementations, this can be accomplished using an isochronous linkbetween the AVC OS 322 and a virtual USB connection of the virtualhardware connections 346. AVC signal router 348 can also receive AVCsignals sent across a virtual hardware connection 346 from the guest OS350, provide them to the AVC OS 322 for processing, and then route themto an appropriate network or locally connected destination device.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the components illustratedin FIGS. 1-3 described above, and in each of the flow diagrams discussedbelow, may be altered in a variety of ways. For example, the order ofthe logic may be rearranged, substeps may be performed in parallel,illustrated logic may be omitted, other logic may be included, etc. Insome implementations, one or more of the components described above canexecute one or more of the processes described below.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a process 400 used in someimplementations for a host AVC OS to establish and interact with avirtual machine with a guest OS. Process 400 begins at block 402 andcontinues to block 404.

At block 404, process 400 can create a virtual machine hosted by anaudio, video, control (AVC) operating system (OS). In someimplementations, the AVC OS can be implemented as a real-time OS. Insome implementations, the AVC OS can be compatible with the x86framework. The AVC OS, in addition to creating and managing the virtualmachines, can be configured to perform various audio, video, and controlprocessing functions. An example AVC OS is the Q-SYS OS provided by QSCAudio Products. In some implementations, the AVC OS can include twoseparate systems: an AVC processing component and an AVC applicationmanagement component. In various implementations, these systems can becombined under an umbrella AVC OS or can be separately managedcomponents, e.g. in their own virtual machines or have their owndedicated resources. In some implementations, the host machine or theone or more virtual machines can each have a dedicated set of resourcessuch as a dedicated area of memory or cache, dedicated CPU cores,dedicated peripherals, etc. When implementing operating systems invirtual machines with different operating systems, having sharedresources can cause problems such as portions of a shared L3 cache beingoverwritten. This can result in cache thrashing where each applicationis constantly having to reload its needed data from RAM. This can be aparticular detriment to a real-time operating system where input needsto be processed and provided to a destination within a particular timelimit, for example to avoid skips and loss in AV quality. When eachoperating system has its own dedicated resources, such interferencebetween the virtual machines does not occur.

In some implementations, process 400 can take step 404 multiple times,implementing multiple virtual machines. In some cases, each virtualmachine can include a different guest OS. For example, a first guest OSin a first virtual machine can execute the Windows OS while a secondguest OS in a second virtual machine can execute the Chrome OS.

At block 406, a guest OS can be installed in the virtual machine createdat block 404. The guest OS can be, for example, a Windows operatingsystem, a Chrome operating system, a Mac operating system, a Linuxoperating system, etc. In some implementations, instead of firstcreating a virtual machine environment and then installing a guest OSinto it, blocks 404 and 406 can be combined, e.g. by implementing avirtual machine image previously created with a guest OS alreadyinstalled.

At block 408, process 400 can establish a virtual hardware connectionbetween the AVC OS and the guest OS. The virtual hardware connectionallows signals to be passed from the AVC OS to the virtual machineimplementing the guest OS. The guest OS can then access them as if thesignal is coming from a hardware peripheral directly connected to amachine executing the guest OS. In various implementations, the virtualhardware connection can be a virtual USB connection, a virtual Ethernetconnection, other another type of virtual hardware connection. The AVCOS can create a virtual hardware connection by generating a virtualdevice and presenting it to the virtual machine as an available hardwarecomponent. For example, the AVC OS can create a virtual USB connectionby presenting a virtual USB device board to the virtual machine. In someimplementations, establishing the virtual hardware connection caninclude creating an isochronous connection between the AVC OS and thevirtual USB connection. The isochronous connection can providetime-dependent data transfer at a steady rate, such as for audio/videostreaming.

At block 410, the AVC OS can receive an AVC signal, e.g. from a locallyconnected or network peripheral device. For example, where process 400is implemented by device 205C, an AVC signal can travel across network230 from one of peripheral devices 205E-G.

At block 412, the AVC OS can perform various AVC processing on thereceived AVC signal. This processing, for example, can include gain andlevel adjustments, echo removal/reduction, mixing, encoding/decoding,color or resolution adjustments, cropping, delay control, input control,process and logic control, etc.

At block 414, the AVC OS routes processed AVC signal through the virtualhardware connection to the guest OS on the virtual machine. The AVC OScan accomplish this by providing the signal as input to the isochronousconnection to the virtual USB device board. The virtual machine thenrecognizes the signal from the virtual USB device board as input from ahardware device, and this input can be provided to an applicationexecuting under the guest operating system. For example, the guestoperating system may be controlling execution of a video chatapplication. Networked microphones and/or cameras can be used with thisvideo chat application as local hardware devices due to the AVC OSproviding a virtual connection from the networked device to the guest OSon the virtual machine. The video chat application can use this input asit would any other signal from a locally connected hardware component.

As additional AVC signals arrive at block 410, they can be processed androuted to the guest OS in a manner similar to that described in relationto blocks 412 and 414. In addition, AVC signals originating from theguest OS can be routed to the peripheral devices, as described inrelation to FIG. 5 below.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process 500 used in someimplementations for a guest OS, executing under a virtual machine, tointeract with a host AVC OS. In some implementations, process 500 canoccur in a system established by steps 404 through 408 of process 400.Furthermore, process 500 can occur in parallel with steps 410 through414 of process 400.

Process 500 begins at block 502 and continues to block 504. At block504, the guest OS executing on a virtual machine can receive an AVCsignal. This AVC signal can be output from an application executingunder the guest operating system. At block 506, process 500 can pass theAVC signal through a virtual hardware connection to a host AVC OS. Forexample, the guest operating system can have a driver installed for aUSB device which actually corresponds to a virtual USB device board thatwas established to connect the virtual machine to the AVC OS at block408. The virtual hardware connection (e.g. a virtual USB connection) canuse an isochronous connection with the AVC OS to provide the AVC signalto the AVC OS.

At block 508, the AVC OS can process the AVC signal. At block 510, oncethe AVC signal has been processed, it can be passed to a destinationdevice either locally connected to the device executing the host AVC OS,or through a network card to a network device.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example environment 600with two-way interactions between a host AVC OS 602 and a guest OS 606operating on a virtual machine 604. Example environment 600 includes avirtual USB connection 610 between the AVC OS 602 and the guest OS 606.Virtual machine 604 has dedicated CPUs 612A and 612B. AVC OS 602includes a real-time audio and network processing component 614, whichhas its own dedicated CPU 616. Example environment 600 also includesnetworked peripherals 618A-D, capable of sending and/or receiving AVCsignals across LAN 620 to the AVC OS 602.

In the operation of example environment 600, signals can be passed fromnetworked devices 618, through LAN 620, into AVC OS 602. These signalsare then processed by real-time audio and network processing component614, using CPU 616. The processed signals can be passed through virtualUSB connection 610 to the guest OS 606, executing on virtual machine604. Guest OS 606 can treat this signal as an input from a localhardware device, which is passed to an appropriate application 622. Inthis case, application 622 is a video chat application. Application 622can provide output, e.g. through the connected network interface card ordisplay.

In the further operation of example environment 600, signals can bepassed from application 622 to the guest OS 606 for output to aperipheral device. The guest OS 606 can output the signal using a driverto the virtual USB connection, which the guest OS sees as a hardwarecomponent. The signal is passed over virtual USB 610 to the AVC OS 602,which uses real-time audio and network processing component 614 toprocess it, using CPU 616. Once the signal is processed, AVC OS 602 canpass the signal to an appropriate directly connected destination or adestination connected to AVC OS 602 through LAN 620.

Several implementations of the disclosed technology are described abovein reference to the figures. The computing devices on which thedescribed technology may be implemented can include one or more centralprocessing units, memory, input devices (e.g., keyboard and pointingdevices), output devices (e.g., display devices), storage devices (e.g.,disk drives), and network devices (e.g., network interfaces). The memoryand storage devices are computer-readable storage media that can storeinstructions that implement at least portions of the describedtechnology. In addition, the data structures and message structures canbe stored or transmitted via a data transmission medium, such as asignal on a communications link. Various communications links can beused, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network,or a point-to-point dial-up connection. Thus, computer-readable mediacan comprise computer-readable storage media (e.g., “non-transitory”media) and computer-readable transmission media.

Reference in this specification to “implementations” (e.g. “someimplementations,” “various implementations,” “one implementation,” “animplementation,” etc.) means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the implementation isincluded in at least one implementation of the disclosure. Theappearances of these phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same implementation, nor areseparate or alternative implementations mutually exclusive of otherimplementations. Moreover, various features are described which may beexhibited by some implementations and not by others. Similarly, variousrequirements are described which may be requirements for someimplementations but not for other implementations.

As used herein, being above a threshold means that a value for an itemunder comparison is above a specified other value, that an item undercomparison is among a certain specified number of items with the largestvalue, or that an item under comparison has a value within a specifiedtop percentage value. As used herein, being below a threshold means thata value for an item under comparison is below a specified other value,that an item under comparison is among a certain specified number ofitems with the smallest value, or that an item under comparison has avalue within a specified bottom percentage value. As used herein, beingwithin a threshold means that a value for an item under comparison isbetween two specified other values, that an item under comparison isamong a middle specified number of items, or that an item undercomparison has a value within a middle specified percentage range.Relative terms, such as high or unimportant, when not otherwise defined,can be understood as assigning a value and determining how that valuecompares to an established threshold. For example, the phrase “selectinga fast connection” can be understood to mean selecting a connection thathas a value assigned corresponding to its connection speed that is abovea threshold.

As used herein, the word “or” refers to any possible permutation of aset of items. For example, the phrase “A, B, or C” refers to at leastone of A, B, C, or any combination thereof, such as any of: A; B; C; Aand B; A and C; B and C; A, B, and C; or multiple of any item such as Aand A; B, B, and C; A, A, B, C, and C; etc.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Specific embodiments and implementations have been described herein forpurposes of illustration, but various modifications can be made withoutdeviating from the scope of the embodiments and implementations. Thespecific features and acts described above are disclosed as exampleforms of implementing the claims that follow. Accordingly, theembodiments and implementations are not limited except as by theappended claims.

Any patents, patent applications, and other references noted above areincorporated herein by reference. Aspects can be modified, if necessary,to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various referencesdescribed above to provide yet further implementations. If statements orsubject matter in a document incorporated by reference conflicts withstatements or subject matter of this application, then this applicationshall control.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A method comprising: implementing, by a hostoperating system (OS), a virtual machine with a guest audio, video,control (AVC) OS different from the host OS; establishing a virtualhardware connection between the host OS and the guest AVC OS; receivingan AVC signal at the guest AVC OS; processing the AVC signal at theguest AVC OS; and routing the processed AVC signal through the virtualhardware connection to the host OS.
 22. The method of claim 21 whereinthe AVC signal is a first signal, and wherein the method furthercomprises: receiving a second AVC signal at the host OS; routing thesecond AVC signal through the virtual hardware connection to the guestAVC OS; processing the second AVC signal at the guest AVC OS; androuting the processed second AVC signal to a destination external to acomputing device executing the host OS.
 23. The method of claim 21wherein processing the AVC signal comprises gain and level adjustments,echo reduction, mixing, color or resolution adjustments, cropping, delaycontrol, or any combination thereof.
 24. The method of claim 21 whereinthe guest AVC OS is a real-time OS.
 25. The method of claim 21 whereinthe guest OS is an x86 framework compatible OS.
 26. The method of claim21, further comprising establishing a second virtual hardware connectionbetween the guest AVC OS and a network interface card.
 27. The method ofclaim 21 wherein the virtual hardware connection is a virtual ethernetswitch connection.
 28. The method of claim 27 wherein establishing thevirtual ethernet switch connection comprises generating a virtualethernet switch and presenting it to the virtual machine as an availablehardware component.
 29. The method of claim 27 wherein establishing thevirtual hardware connection includes creating an isochronous connectionbetween the guest AVC OS and the virtual ethernet switch connection,wherein the isochronous connection provides time-dependent data transferat a steady rate.
 30. The method of claim 29 wherein routing theprocessed AVC signal to the host OS includes providing the processed AVCsignal as input to the isochronous connection.
 31. The method of claim21 wherein implementing the virtual machine comprises creating a virtualmachine environment and installing the guest OS into the virtual machineenvironment.
 32. The method of claim 21 wherein implementing the virtualmachine comprises loading a virtual machine image previously createdwith the guest AVC OS already installed.
 33. A system comprising: one ormore processors; a memory; and a host operating system (OS) configuredto: implement a virtual machine with a guest real-time OS; and establisha virtual hardware connection between the host OS and the real-timeguest OS, wherein the guest real-time OS is configured to: receive andprocess an AVC signal; and route the processed AVC signal through thevirtual hardware connection to the host OS.
 34. The system of claim 33further comprising at least two CPUs, wherein at least a first of the atleast two CPUs is dedicated to the host OS and at least a second of theat least two CPUs is dedicated to the guest real-time OS.
 35. The systemof claim 33 further comprising at least two network cards, wherein atleast a first of the at least two network cards is dedicated to the hostOS and at least a second of the at least two network cards is dedicatedto the real-time guest OS.
 36. The system of claim 35 wherein implementthe virtual machine with the guest real-time OS includes establishing avirtual hardware connection between the guest real-time OS and thesecond network card.
 37. The system of claim 33 wherein establishing thevirtual hardware connection includes creating an isochronous connectionbetween the guest real-time OS and a virtual ethernet switch, whereinthe isochronous connection provides time-dependent data transfer at asteady rate.
 38. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructionsthat, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system toperform operations comprising: implementing, by a host operating system(OS), a virtual machine with a guest audio, video, control (AVC) OSdifferent from the host OS; establishing a virtual hardware connectionbetween the host OS and the guest AVC OS; receiving an AVC signal at theguest AVC OS; processing the AVC signal at the guest AVC OS; and routingthe processed AVC signal through the virtual hardware connection to thehost OS.
 39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, whereinthe operations further comprise: receiving a second AVC signal at thehost OS; routing the second AVC signal through the virtual hardwareconnection to the guest AVC OS; and processing the second AVC signal atthe guest AVC OS.
 40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37wherein the virtual hardware connection is through a virtual ethernetswitch.